Cotton-picker.



. T. E. STRAUS.

COTTON PIGKBR.

APPLICATION FILED um. 9, 1912. RENEWED 001'. so, 1012.

1,067,283. Patented July 15, 1913.

WITNESSES z e JNEENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE E. STRAUS, OF BALTIMORE,. MiARYLAND, ASSIGNOR' TO WORT'HINGTQN COTTON-HARVESTER COMPANY, OF- BALTIMORE. MARYLAND,'A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

COTTON-PICKER- Application filed January 9; 1912, Serial No. e7o,24e. Renewed October so; 1912, serialize. 728.732.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THEODORE E. STRaUs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Balti1nore,'in the State of Maryland, have.

v and removingthe cotton boll, and a pneumatic suction passage for conveying the cotton from the mechanical pickers/to the storage receptacle.

An object of the invention is to provide a cotton picker of the above type, with -de "ices for-insuring the separation or stripping of the husk of the cotton plant from the mechanical picking devices, so that the cotton may be freed of'the husk, burs, leaves, small twigs, and the like, and carried in substantially clean condition to the intake passage, where it is conveyed by suction to the storage receptacle. y

In. the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention; Figure 1 is an end view of a cotton picking nozzle, having my improvements applied thereto, certain of the parts being brokenaway to show the inner mechanism; Fig. 2- is a face view of the nozzle.

In the drawings, I have shown merely the. cotton picker nozzle, which includes a tube 1 adapted to be connected with a flexible tube leading to the storage receptacle, and

on the end of this tube is the cotton picker head 2, which as .clearly shown in Fig. 1, projects laterally from said suction tube 1. Mounted in the cotton picker head, are two shafts 3 and -l which are driven from suitable gear mechanism operatcd by a flexible shaft which enters a supporting tube 5. On each of the shafts'fi, 4, are carriers (3 to which are pivotally secured a plurality of sets of picker fingers '7. which sets are ar-' its herein illustrated.

ranged side by side. I have provided three sets of picker fingers. These picker fingers are controlled by a stir tionary cam. as is-couunon in this type of picker. Fixed stripper plates 8 extcnd bctween these'ts of picker fingers. Flexible stripper plates Siextend between the picker fingers.- These 'stripperpl'ates serve to rea {move the cotton from the, picker fingers,

as the picker fingers rotate with; the carrier 6. The flexible plates 8 are. siib stantially parallel with each other at their: free. ends, and form 'an intake passage 9 for the cotton, which is drawn bysuction through the intake passage 'to the suction tube 1.

Thetwo sides'oI tne race of the nozzle or head of the --co tton"pic ker are inclined toward the center ofthe nozzle, as'clearly shown in Fig. .1. The carriers (3 for the picker fingers are so positioned that said fingers extend beyond the inclined faces at points each side of the central plane of the nozzle. In. order to deflect the husks and small, twigs, I have provided the head with side plates 10 'and11, each. of which is deected inwardly over the'central po /tion of v 1e nozzle. and is formed .with. a; lip. 12.

hose side plates contract the centra'l open-. 1 g of the nozzle and form inclined ledges .Patented'July 15. 1913.

13, which-terminate inshoulders at the lips 12. The hu'sks and-leaves engaged byf'the picker fingers, will be-ca-rriedagainst these. ledges and-pushed along the same until. the

. husks and twigs are moved out 'of the path.

of the picker fingers. These inwardly projecting plates having the lips thereon form separating devices or strippers which re{ move the husks. leaves and twigs from en v gagenient by the picker fi1igers.and allows,

the cotton fiber. which we 'willu'cfer to} as cotton. alone to be carricdby the picker fin-. gers to the intake passage.

The a ove features are more described. and claimed. in my c'opending 'apf plication Serial No. (WI-M47. filed lllecembe'r fingers lic substantially in the same plane as fullyshown.

4 out are inclined o that the tree (llil.- ot-the the inclined lodge l ol' the side plates for" the nozzle These fingers are located bei tween each set of picker fingers. The width of the fingers is so proportioned as to leave ample space for the cotton which is engaged by the picker fingers to be carried between the stripper or separating fingers while the husks, leaves and twigs, will engage said fingers owing to the more rigid andnonyielding construction of the husks etc., and therefore, these husks will be slid-along the fingers toward their free'ends, andon -to the ledges 13 of the side plates where they strike against the shoulders formed by the lip 19, and are released from the picker fingers. These stripper fingers are preferably so positioned relative to the picker fingers, that the path of movement of the extreme point of the picker fingers is within the extreme point of the stripper fingers, so that any hard particles engaged by the picker fingers, .and slid along the stripper fingers will be entirely dislodged from the picker fingers.

From the above construction, it will be apparent that I have provided means for efioctively separating or. removing the husks, twigs, and leaves, from the cotton, which means does not in any way interfere with the engagement of the cotton'by the picker fingers, and the carrying of' the cotton to the intake passage of the picker. It is .to be noted tha-t theactive region of the picker fingers on each carrier, is at one side of the central portion of the nozzle, and, therefore, the active picking region is also at "one side of the center of the hozzle. In other words, if the central portion ofthe nozzle is presented to the plant, there will be no picking action, but only as first one sideand then the other ofthe nozzleis brought into contact with the plant, will the cottonbe engaged by the mechanical picking means, and the separating devices above described will, therefore, effectuallyprevent the husks, burs, twigs and leaves from being carried into the nozzle by the picker fingers. which insures not only a clean picking of cotton, but also prevents the stopping of the suction passage by these hardobjectionable parts. w

While I have described a plurality of sets of mechanical picking devices, it is obvious from certain aspects of the invention. that a single set may be used, thelessential feature being the separating fingerslocated on each side of the mechanical picking de vices. I

It is obvious that minor changes in the de tails of construction may be. made, without departing from the spirit of. the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cotton picker including in combination, a nozzle having side walls and an intake throat, a carrier located between said side walls and at one side. of said intake throat, mechanical picking devices mounted on said carrier-f engaging the cotton of the boll .and (a-i ying said cotton into said intake throat, and a relatively stationary separating device attached to said nozzle. and located between said side walls, said separating device being disposed, between the mechanical pickingIdevices-and outside of the throat and extending over and in front ofthe carrier forstrippingthe husks and twigs from the mechanical picking devices.

2. A cotton picker including in combination, al nozzle having side walls and an intake t1roat, a carrier located between said side walls and. at one side ofsaid intake throat, mechanical picking devices mounted on said carrier for engaging the cotton of the boll and carrying said cotton into said intake throat, a relatively stationary separating device attached to said nozzle and located between'said side walls, said separating device being. disposed between theme-- chanicalpicking devices and outside of the throat and extending-over and-in front of the carrier for stripping the husks and twigs from the mechanical picking devices. and independent meansextending into said throat for stripping the cotton from-said mechanical picking devices.

3. A cotton picker including in' combination, a suction nozzle having an intake throat. a rotary carrier. located at one sideof said throat, plcklng fingers mounted on said carrier for engaging the cotton of the boll and carrying the same into said intake throat, and relatively stationary separating devices attached to the n'czzleat the same side of the throat as the carrier, said devices being located at each side of each of the. picking fingers and outside, of said throat and extending over and in front of the carrier for stripping the husks and twigs from the picking fingers. i

4. A cotton picker including tion, a suction nozzle having an intake throat. a rotary carrier'located atone side of said throat, picking fingers mounted on" said carrier for engaging the cotton of the boll and carrying the same into said intake throat. relatively stationary separating -de vices located at each side of each of'the' picking fingers and outside of said throat for stripping the husks and twigs from the picking fingers, and relatively station r v independent means in said throat for strip ping the cotton from said picking fingers.

A cotton picker including in combina tion, a suction nozzle having an intake in combinathroat, rotating carriers located upon each reiatiwiv stati nary svpnmi'ing dmiocs for envii oi' mid wn'iiow. mid HDJHZXtiHiI dovims being im'zllmi at zu-h side of (ifl'il sot of picking HHQUI'S and outsidv of mid throat and extending owl and in froni of the 'i(- spin-{n (union for stripping: the hiwks and from mid fingm'x (i. A (*oiiuo ni iz i' invinding in nddnw tion a su-rtio'n noL/A v inning :ln intidw nmmn rotating (.iUliQFR lvczdod upon mufll side of said iino'ai'. mwh. of said (:iPYiPTF mid limud for xiring insi' 1" uni; 1

iii!

Honors and rvluiiwiy Firition ny nn innding into said iinoni Ian mirimvi: iion from mid (i I (ohm-n I ndi ng' in Ma 2 noaodin mi mm H invim ill "wii iwz inn? pix-Amy;

1 midi of srxid silauion dw Me inv ndlng u and independent Cotton from the from iiiv pix km fingers. means for stripping the picker lingers.

1 A notion picker-including nation. a suction nozzlehaving tin-om; mid nozzle being provided with pivkins: faves inclined relative to each ot imand outwardly from iheinozzie so as to went in :1 nto ioczited in a pianopzmsing ('eni udiy iinwmgh said throat, av l ointing Carrier 'at ozxr'h Hi of said throat, (inch ofsaid ar riors inning; a plurality of sets of picking fingrm's nude-(ting beyond the picking faces of said nozzivx for engaging the cotton of Hm boil. and vanwing the some intosaid ininkv Him-(1L and rohitively stationary wpmniinfr dmiw. vo porating with 'snid pivkinu' iin lew :11 points outside of said Humid im- Qrinning the hnsks and t \i;5 from mid gin-king fingers.

H. A Potion pimwi' invlnding' in (-oinbinniion. kl sin-lion nozzle inning an intake mid noZLdo being: provided \Viii) i J imw in -iinvd iviziiivv t'o :ivh oiim nmniiv from {in} n XZio so 11; 1o moot Mud: d piano passing e -in (fondninn iid Poti n inw mid iliifliii throat. and

and tni onin'y wpzu'nting d0\i 'i wivd 2 f Pawn sidu of said nnwhnniuzd pii-k dm'i w and outside of said iin'oni and 'iHQ on? and in front of tin |';-.-.nwiii-Line doviw for Fi'i'ilr A and ins from mid mix-him pivii'in ig dva'ivnk 4, (HUGH pi. kw izn-indingz in (Olilif illfl' livn. n motion nozziv lnningnn intake throat. u min-i0! ioiulvd at one sidv o1 said iutaiw iilii); i. lneci'mniml picking devices mounted I on mid tzll'l'iti for (pinging the union of iih mii and outlying said roiion into said min m tin-oat, a x'rinlnciv stutlomry spninning doviv ohm-110d 1o H10 nozzle and ioluvs. mid svpnruting dev'n-e being dislvwvd 3 w A and iWiIW are strippvd from the "11] pn'kzn gr dovm Hi :1 posni ut if Ringo oi tin" m tion tin-origin lrv intake iin'ont.

H votion PiVifll including in wnnbinw i n ndn inning aid? ML and an in w of. :1 zll'l'i11 iomfcd iwhwm! id and a! one hiiii' of on; minim the carrier, said sel'iarating device having its end ad]acent the throat tree and ternnna-ting at a point adjacent the path of travel 1 device ing devices and allows the. piclv'ing devices 1 to carry the cotton past the end of the separating device.

11'. A cotton picker including in combinatioina nozzle having: side walls and an intalte throat, a carrier located between said side walls and at, one side of said intake threat, a plurality of sets of mechanical picking fingers; mounted on said carrier, relativelv static/nan separating devices located at each side of e; ch set of mechanical picking devices, said separating devices being attached to the now/d at the same side of the throat as the carrier and projecting over and in front of the carrier. said separating devices having their ends adjacent the throat tree and terminating at points adjacent the path of travel of the outer ends of the pit-Lin; lingers. whereby the hnsks and twigs are stripped from the fingers and the cetton. impaled on the fingers may he carried from the ends of the stripping devices into said intake throat.

l n testiinenv whereof I atlix lnvsignatnre, in presence ot two witnesses.

'llllfitlDORli Ii. STRAUS \Vitnesses:

\YM. ll. S'rnn's, E. (l. Masox. 

